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The invention disclosed herein relates to computerized systems for composing and displaying musical scores. In particular, the present invention is an improved user interface and system that allows a conductor or composer to interactively modify a musical score and to transmit the modifications to individual musicians or selected groups of musicians in an orchestra.
Traditionally, printed paper copies of sheet music have been required for any orchestral or band musician to read in order to perform a musical score. The use of such printed sheet music has resulted in certain disadvantages, such as the need to turn pages, the risk of losing pages, and the time consuming task of making edits or changes to musical scores, which may involve reprinting the score. In addition, the use of printed sheet music limits the ability of the conductor of the orchestra to make changes during a rehearsal, concert or performance, and also unduly restricts the composition process.
Several systems have been developed for allowing the composition and notation of music on a computer. Examples of such systems include the FINALE music composition and notation software available from Coda Music Technology, Inc. of Minnesota, the MUSIC WRITE PLUS software from Voyetra Technologies Inc. of New York, the CUBASE VST system available from Steinberg North America of California, and the SIBELIUS music software available from Sibelius Software, Ltd. of the United Kingdom. These systems generally allow for the composition and editing of a musical score through a mouse or keyboard using a note palette or template, or through a MIDI compatible keyboard.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,927, assigned to Casio Computer Co., Ltd., describes a hand-held device that uses a pen-based input device for music notation. A touch screen of the device displays a musical staff and provides a method for the user to enter musical notations directly onto the displayed staff using the pen-based input device.
These software and systems provide some basic tools for the computerized composition and editing of music.
The Music Object Oriented Distributed System, or MOODS, is an integrated system of computer-based lecterns or stands which can be used for cooperatively editing and viewing musical scores. The MOODS system, which is described in a document retrievable on the Internet at  less than http://aguirre.dsi.unifi.it/xcx9cmoods greater than , is designed for use by, among other things, orchestras during rehearsals and public performances.
The MOODS system is comprised of a set of lecterns for musicians for displaying musical scores; a lectern for conductors that is used to show, visualize or modify a score; a network for connecting these lecterns; and a database for storing and retrieving the musical scores. The musicians"" lecterns are organized according to a hierarchy within the orchestra, with first level musicians being qualified to perform changes on a score while other musicians can be active or passive. This hierarchical organization allows a first instrument such as a first violinist, to directly transmit changes in the score to the other sub-lecterns.
Similarly, PCT application No. PCT/US98/08658, published Nov. 12, 1998, describes a musical score display and editing system in which a band leader""s device distributes display information to other devices. The leader may create modifications to a score using various music editing commands which are displayed on all devices displaying parts of the score to which they apply. The system also allows individual musicians to insert personal annotations into their own parts of the score, to be displayed on their own individual devices.
Despite this activity, to the inventor""s knowledge there is no system which simplifies and facilitates the conductor""s or composer""s task of managing and coordinating score modification and dissemination. That is, none of these systems allow the conductor to work with a computerized device in the same fashion as if working with hard copy of sheet music and to fully control the extent to which others in an orchestra receive and view modifications to a score on an automatic, real-time basis. Furthermore, there is no fully integrated music display system that is self-contained, ergonomically designed, flexibly reconfigured, or easily transported. The present invention is directed to improvements that provide these advantages.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems described above associated with existing musical composition systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an intuitive user interface for a music editing system through which a conductor of an orchestra can change musical scores for all or some players in the orchestra.
It is another object of the present invention to integrate handwritten editing changes with a fully digital music composition and performance system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ergonomic and fully integrated system for multi-part musical composition and conducting.
The above and other objects are achieved by a method and system for facilitating multi-part score composition and conducting an orchestral performance, the method being implemented in a network of computerized devices each containing programming for displaying music on a display device, the computerized devices being used by each of a plurality of players in the orchestra under direction of the conductor. The method involves the step of registering an identity of an instrument in use by each player and the corresponding computerized device being used by the player. This allows the conductor to know which player and which instrument are using each device.
During a composition session or performance, the conductor enters at the conductor""s computerized station one or more changes to a musical arrangement. These changes may be entered in a handwritten format, via an integrated piano keyboard, mouse, or keyboard. The conductor""s computerized device contains a digitizer and touch screen for processing the input received from the conductor, and also contains means for converting the input changes from handwritten format to a digital music notation format. The means for handwriting conversion may be a music handwriting recognition program such as described above in relation to U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,927, which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
The conductor""s station allows the conductor to select whether the input change is to be sent to all players in the orchestra or only to a selected group of one or more players who may be using an instrument impacted by the change. The conductor""s station also allows the conductor to select whether the change should be converted to a digital music notation format before transmission to the players. If the conductor selects to send the change only to the player or players using an instrument impacted by the change, the conductor""s station determines which instrument or instruments are impacted by the change and identifies the corresponding computerized device or devices registered for that instrument. The change is then transmitted over the network to the players in accordance with the conductor""s selections.
One of the features of the system of the present invention that sets it apart from other computer-based score editors and related applications is the user interface. The conductor and other musicians are able to write directly onto the display screen, just as with any palm computing device, allowing for immediate note changes, edits, and other musical explorations. Thus, the musician will not have to edit using dialog boxes or keyboard commands, and simply takes an electronic pen and writes the desired changes directly onto the screen. For example, to replace a quarter note with a half note, all the musician would have to do is draw a half note on the staff, just as though it were on paper. The half note remains in a handwritten format until the musician explicitly decides to convert the handwritten representation to a digital music notation using a handwriting recognition application.
Because all of the computers in the band or orchestra are networked, the band leader or conductor can make a universal edit for all musicians at a rehearsal or performance from a central station and transmit the edited score to all of the other musicians simultaneously. The conductor could also make changes on an individual part as well. For example, if the conductor wanted the trumpet section to repeat four bars, the players would have the option to make the required changes individually or simply accept the changes made by the conductor.
The computer, display screen, operating system, and application are integrated into a single self-contained unit. Because everything is in one unit, external wiring and other clutter are eliminated reducing setup time, effort and possible errors. The unit housing the computerized device is large enough and provides sufficient display resolution to represent standard pages of printed music, while remaining compact and light enough to be portable. This allows for the musicians to comfortably travel to and from rehearsals, recordings and performances with the device. New musical scores and parts are distributed by discs, or other digital storage methods, which can be used directly by the computerized device. This eliminates the need for extraneous paper parts or bulky folders full of sheet music. Furthermore, any confusion about which is the most current or correct version of a musical score is eliminated. An entire music catalog can now be placed in a back pocket.